Nowadays, Xiushui Village had become home to many city dwellers who had moved there. Furthermore, tourists came and went endlessly every day.
The news that Lingxian Sect would be distributing mosquito-repelling items to the villagers before sunset quickly spread, reaching nearby towns and even the county within no time.
By the afternoon, Xiushui Village, which had seen a steady flow of visitors since the recruitment of new disciples, suddenly became crowded again.
Those who lived far from the village merely came to witness the spectacle of the immortals. However, the people living closer had a different motive. They hoped that if there were any extra mosquito repellent, they might be able to get some too.
After all, the mosquito problem didn't just affect Xiushui Village; the nearby villages were also plagued by the pests.
As sunset approached, the crowd eagerly gathered around the area where the Heart-Testing Path began. Then, to everyone's amazement, long tables floated down from the Peach Blossom Mountain pathway, descending in perfect alignment below.
Next, a large wooden sign floated down and set itself beside the tables. When the sign faced the crowd, characters could be seen etched upon it.
A literate villager kindly read it aloud for the others: "Mosquito Repellent Lamp Oil Distribution Center. Those troubled by mosquitoes may collect it for free."
"Free!" someone exclaimed.
"Ah, you must be new here. Our Lingxian Sect immortals are the kindest to us," replied a local with pride.
"That's right. I'm not from Xiushui Village, but when we had a pest problem in our village last year, the immortals came to help without charging a single coin!"
"Exactly, this is a gift from the immortals. We should cherish it and not be greedy."
"Yes, let's let the villages suffering the worst from mosquitoes go first."
With that, the crowd spontaneously organized itself. The nearby villagers knew each other, or at least were familiar faces, and soon, those from the worst-affected villages were brought to the front.
There were ten long tables, so ten lines were formed. Once the most afflicted villages were in place, others needing help lined up behind them.
Remarkably, within a short time, the large crowd had arranged itself in an orderly manner. A few opportunistic individuals who hoped to cut the line quickly realized they were outnumbered and kept quiet, following the crowd's lead.
On the rare occasion when someone did try to sneak ahead, the surrounding villagers promptly pulled them back, silencing them with a unified glare. The troublemakers, usually the lazy types from neighboring villages known for freeloading, quickly retreated without a word.
Had this been any other day, the villagers might have ignored such behavior to avoid confrontation. But today, standing near the mountain of the immortals, the villagers felt emboldened and united.
It amazed them how easy it was to stand up to such people when everyone worked together.
Once the ten lines were neatly formed, people saw figures descending the Peach Blossom Path.
Liu Yunan led eleven new disciples down the mountain.
As soon as they appeared, the crowd quieted instantly, watching them with respectful gazes.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Liu Yunan directed the ten disciples to stand behind the long tables, while the eleventh disciple was assigned the task of restocking supplies as needed.
Baishu stood at the first table. Recalling Liu Yunan's instructions on the way down, he took a deep breath and loudly announced to the crowd, "We will now begin distributing the mosquito-repellent lamp oil. Each person will receive one portion. If you do not have a container or need a lamp wick, please inform us when you collect."
With that, he and the other nine disciples each took a large barrel from their storage bags, filled with the fragrant lamp oil.
The lamp oil emitted a faint, refreshing herbal scent, and as soon as it was brought out, the crowd could smell it, and the pleasant fragrance seemed to ease the lingering summer heat.
Each disciple also placed a basket of small bamboo containers and another basket of lamp wicks on their tables for those who needed them.
Most of the nearby villagers had come prepared with their own containers, having been informed ahead of time. As for the lamp wicks, most people didn't need them, since they already had similar materials at home.
After all, a coarse thread was something every household with someone who sewed had on hand. The immortals had been thoughtful enough to provide the wicks, but the villagers, who had benefited from the sect's generosity over the years, didn't want to take advantage of their kindness.
Baishu stood behind the table, carefully ladling out lamp oil one portion at a time. Eventually, an old, cracked pottery bowl was placed in front of him. The bowl's edges were stained with the remnants of old food grease, a clear sign of long use.
Baishu immediately recognized it because, for many years, he too had lived off scraps, using a similarly battered bowl.
Looking up, he saw the weathered face of an elderly man, smiling warmly, though most of his front teeth were missing.
"Much gratitude, little immortal," the old man said, his voice rough but kind, dressed in simple, patched clothing.
Baishu hesitated, holding the ladle in midair. Instead of filling the man's bowl, he reached for a bamboo container from the basket, pouring the lamp oil into it.
"Oh, no, no, I brought my bowl," the old man protested, waving his hands nervously, unsure of what to do.
But Baishu simply handed him the bamboo container filled with oil, along with a small bundle of neatly trimmed lamp wicks. "Please take this. These bamboo containers are ones we made ourselves, so they're not worth much," he said with a smile.
The old man accepted the items, mumbling his thanks, and shuffled off to the side, not wanting to delay the line.
He lingered for a while, watching the disciples patiently distribute the oil, before turning to leave. He lived in a neighboring village and had planned to walk back with a few old friends.
As he carefully held the bamboo container and the wicks, the old man thought to himself, Tonight, my wife will finally be able to get a good night's sleep.